From staff reports
To celebrate National Hospital Week 2023 and honor Beaufort Memorial’s finest, the nonprofit hospital leadership two weeks ago presented its second annual Bemmy Awards for exemplary performance over the past year. The awards were designed to specifically recognize employees, providers and departments that go above and beyond their job duties to carry out the organization’s mission, vision and values.
“We want to show our employees how much we value them and their service to our patients and our hospital,” Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell Baxley said in a news release. “The people at Beaufort Memorial make a difference every day in patients’ lives and we want to thank them – on behalf of the community, on behalf of our patients, on behalf of everyone here at Beaufort Memorial. “
Awards were presented in 10 categories.
Among the top awards was Innovator of the Year, presented to Joy Solomon, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, for her leadership of PATH (People Achieving Their Highest), the hospital’s groundbreaking career development program. The South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) has showcased the PATH program as an outstanding example of healthcare workforce development. The program, which welcomed its inaugural cohort in May 2022, is designed to help staff learn new skills, earn advanced certifications and grow their careers at the hospital, thus supporting a stronger healthcare network within the community.
The top honor for Department of the Year was awarded to the Pharmacy Department.
“During this time of unprecedented shortages and supply chain issues, the Pharmacy team consistently looked for alternatives to keep our frontline staff able to provide the needed medications to treat our patients,” Baxley said in presenting the award.
Bridget Blythe, central sterile processing specialist, was named the Vaux Clinical Employee of the Year.
“Bridget runs the Central Sterile Department with the utmost dedication and care, and never asks more from her employees than she is willing to do herself.” said Baxley, “Her attitude of caring and constant giving is at the root of the department’s success.”
The Nonclinical Employee of the Year Award went to Dean Adams, transportation specialist, cited by Baxley for his huge heart.
“He considers going above and beyond for patients to be just part of the job,” said Baxley, pointing out an example of Adams’ kindness.
“He purchased a cake and card to celebrate the end of treatments for a cancer patient,” said Baxley. “While taking her to and from her oncology appointments, he had learned the patient didn’t have family in the area. His actions had the patient smiling from ear to ear and made that memorable day even more special for her.”
Runners-up for the hospital’s top awards were Michael Bowers Jr., IT senior programmer analyst (Innovator of the Year); the Emergency Department (Department of the Year); Walter McLeod, CST, operating room surgical technologist (Clinical Employee of the Year); and Kelly Harrell, medical records clerk for the Health Information Services Department (Nonclinical Employee of the Year).
Other awardees were:
- Provider of the Year: Nikki Newman, PA-C, Express Care & Occupational Health (Runner-up: Tiffany Bersani, MD, FACOG, Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialists)
- Leader of the Year: Lisa Kramer, revenue cycle director (Runner-up: Megan Mack, OTR/L, MSHA, FACHE, rehabilitation services director)
- Rookie of the Year: Lauren Rauscher, BSN, RN, CNOR, RNFA, assistant director, Peri-Operative Department (Runner-up: Keia McWilliams, imaging services coordinator)
- Community Champion of the Year: Lisa Terwilliger, BSN, RN, CMSRN, CNML, Medical/Surgical and Orthopedics Unit clinical coordinator. (Coincidentally, the runner-up, Kianna Brown, LMSW, oncology social worker, actually nominated Terwilliger for the award.)
- Zero Harm Patient Safety Champion: Abby Lynch, RD, clinical dietitian (Runner-up: Lauren Norris, BSN, RN, surgical recovery room)
- Patient Experience Champions (these awards are selected based on exceptional patient survey scores). Inpatient: Medical/Surgical and Orthopedics Unit (4T); Outpatient: Outpatient Lab and Registration, Beaufort Medical Plaza; Physician Practices: Bluffton Express Care & Occupational Health
Bemmy Award winners were picked from You Shine Through employee award recipients who are selected each month based on nominations from patients, their families and coworkers. In addition, staff members were invited to nominate their colleagues for a Bemmy.
Requesting employee nominations in 10 categories, the Employee Engagement Awards Committee members were delighted by the large number they received, as staffers appeared eager to recognize their colleagues for work that had gone, by any standard, above and beyond. The awards committee reviewed all nominations and submitted the top candidates from which senior leadership selected the winners.
“Each one of these employees really embodies our core values,” said Baxley. “They truly are the best of the best and have gone above and beyond – recognized by patients, by their peers, by leadership. We are incredibly proud of these employees for what they’ve done this year.”
